Demon Suppression Bureau, What Can You Do to My Jeweled Temple?

Chapter 42: What Can the Demon Suppression Bureau Do to Jeweled Temple?

Magistrate Qian's heart was bitter as hell.

Damn it all—he'd barely managed to calm those plague-bearing bastards from the Demon Suppression Bureau, and they were just about to leave. What were these monks butting in for?

Was the scene not chaotic enough already?!

But no matter how much he cursed inwardly, he dared not show the slightest disrespect on his face.

The leading monk ignored the magistrate's predicament, his gaze fixed solely on Jiang Yuechu. He pressed his palms together and gave a slight bow.

"This humble monk, Huiming of Jeweled Temple, greets the great one."

He gestured behind him at a younger monk, also with hands clasped, but whose face bore a defiant arrogance.

"This is my junior disciple, Huiyuan."

By all reason, since the other party was a senior monk from Jeweled Temple and had voluntarily offered a greeting, she ought to have risen and returned the courtesy.

Yet she remained seated, steady as a mountain.

This posture was no longer mere rudeness—it was a complete dismissal, as if she didn't even consider him worth acknowledging.

Huiyuan's face darkened instantly, anger flashing across his brow as he opened his mouth to rebuke her.

"You..."

"Junior."

The anger on Huiyuan's face faltered. He suppressed it with effort, letting out only a cold snort before turning his head aside.

Huiming shook his head, his face still wearing that light, carefree smile. He turned to Magistrate Qian.

"Magistrate Qian, this humble monk wishes to speak a few words alone with this female benefactor. Would it be possible to grant this convenience?"

"This..." Magistrate Qian looked helplessly toward Jiang Yuechu.

On one side was the Demon Suppression Bureau, on the other, Jeweled Temple—he couldn't afford to offend either.

Jiang Yuechu finally lifted her eyes, calmly studying Huiming for a long moment.

A long while passed.

She spoke: "Everyone, leave."

At these words, Liu Ke and the others were all taken aback.

"Team Leader..."

"Go on, go on—when the great one speaks, what's the point of us standing around like statues?"

Bujie the monk moved swiftly, grabbing Liu Ke, who still wanted to speak, and shoving Chen Tong and the others, who stood frozen in place. He dragged and pushed them all out.

Though doubts lingered in everyone's minds, seeing Jiang Yuechu's composed expression, they could only follow Bujie, along with the magistrate and Huiyuan, as they withdrew from the hall.

With a creak.

The hall door slowly closed.

In the courtyard, the atmosphere grew awkward.

While the others remained silent, Liu Ke's face was dark as water, his gaze hostile as he stared at Huiyuan, who looked equally displeased.

"Jeweled Temple really puts on quite the airs."

"Raising monsters, wreaking havoc across the land—and now that the truth is out, you think you can use the name of the Buddha to brush it all aside?"

"What kind of Buddhism is that?"

Huiyuan had been holding a bellyful of anger. He looked Liu Ke up and down, then suddenly seemed to recall something, a look of realization crossing his face.

"I was wondering who it was—turns out it's that bastard bastard from Falling Goose Villa."

"What? Got bullied in the manor, nowhere to vent, so you come here to throw a tantrum?"

At these words, Liu Ke flew into a rage. He drew his sword on the spot. "You're asking for death!"

"Aiya! Two sirs! Two sirs!"

Seeing them about to come to blows, Magistrate Qian was scared out of his wits. He quickly spread his arms and stepped between them.

"You mustn't, you mustn't! This is the county office! Peace brings prosperity—harmony is precious!"

Compared to the tense clamor outside, the room was almost eerily quiet.

Huiming walked over on his own and sat down beside Jiang Yuechu.

He didn't mind the circumstances. He picked up a teacup someone else had drunk from, raised it, and took a sip.

"Good tea."

He set the cup down with a satisfied sigh.

As if what he'd tasted wasn't coarse tea dregs, but some divine nectar.

"Forgive this humble monk's presumption."

"As for this matter, it is indeed due to lax discipline at Jeweled Temple. That beast descended the mountain on its own, disturbing the local area, and troubling the honored officials of the Demon Suppression Bureau. This humble monk's heart is truly uneasy."

"This humble monk has come, first, on the orders of my sect to take that beast back and keep it under strict watch, and second, to offer my apologies to you, sir."

He drew a banknote from the wide sleeve of his monk's robe and gently slid it before Jiang Yuechu.

"This is five hundred taels of silver."

"I know that you, sir, and your brothers have traveled far from Liangzhou Prefecture, enduring hardship along the way. Consider this small sum as this humble monk's token of goodwill, to welcome and refresh you all."

"Furthermore..."

Huiming paused, the smile on his face deepening by another degree.

"My Jeweled Temple owes you, sir, a favor."

A favor.

Those two words carried a weight a thousand times heavier than the five hundred taels of silver.

In Longyou Circuit, martial arts sects stood like forests, with all manner of men and creeds tangled in deep roots.

As one of the three great leaders, Jeweled Temple had stood unshaken for centuries.

Its profound foundation and vast network of connections had long surpassed the scope of ordinary martial sects.

This single favor meant that within the bounds of Longyou Circuit, no matter how great the trouble you stirred up—

As long as it wasn't treason or rebellion, Jeweled Temple could settle it for you.

Huiming looked at the young woman before him, her face as calm as still water, and the smile at the corners of his mouth deepened further.

He believed no one could refuse such terms.

At most, she was just a minor Team Leader. To gain a favor from Jeweled Temple was already a stroke of immense fortune.

Yet.

Jiang Yuechu did not look at the banknote. Instead, she asked calmly, "Has that beast of yours harmed anyone here?"

The smile on Huiming's face faltered slightly.

He clearly hadn't expected her to ask such an untimely question.

Then, he shook his head with a laugh.

"A beast, after all, has wild nature hard to tame. Once it came down the mountain, its belly hungry, it couldn't avoid indulging in some meat."

"But rest assured, sir, they were just rustic villagers. Not many dead, certainly not enough to alarm the higher-ups, and it won't make things difficult for you."

Jiang Yuechu finally lifted her eyes, staring straight at him.

"How many dead."

"..."

The smile on Huiming's face faded a little.

A long silence.

"Every year, natural disasters and man-made calamities claim countless lives among the common folk. Why must you, sir, cling to these few?"

He sighed, then drew another banknote from his sleeve, stacking it with the first and pushing them forward.

"Enough. This humble monk was inconsiderate."

"I'll add another five hundred taels, making it a round thousand. A thousand taels of silver, plus a favor from my Jeweled Temple. On this trip, you, sir, can not only report back to the Commandery and clear your duty, but also gain a windfall and forge a good connection. Why not take the joy in it?"

"..."

Jiang Yuechu let out a deep breath.

A thousand taels of silver.

Plus a favor from Jeweled Temple.

The terms he offered were indeed tempting.

She had never thought of herself as a good person.

Before the Tiger Demon, she had personally killed that half-dead Pei Changqing, just to buy a sliver of hope for her golden finger to awaken.

She didn't regret it.

If she had to do it again, she would still do the same.

But that was when she had no choice.

If she hadn't, she would have ended up in the Tiger Demon's belly, and by now, she'd probably be nothing but a pile of dung.

But now, the choice was entirely hers.

To swallow her pride and accept his terms.

Or...

Jiang Yuechu suddenly smiled.

In a lifetime, you can't cling too tightly to principles. But there ought to be at least a little.

Otherwise, living like that would be far too dull.

She extended two fingers and slowly pushed the two banknotes on the table back.

The smile on Huiming's face stiffened slightly.

"What does the lady mean by this?"

"Nothing much."

Jiang Yuechu stood up, looking down at him. "I just think this favor of yours isn't worth much."

Huiming's face finally darkened.

"The lady should think this through carefully."

"Is it worth making an enemy of my Jeweled Temple for the sake of a few irrelevant peasants?"

Outside the hall.

Magistrate Qian, caught between Liu Ke and Huiyuan, wore a mournful expression on his plump face, wishing he could just turn and flee.

"Gentlemen, gentlemen, let's talk this out, let's talk this out!"

Liu Ke was beyond listening to reason. Though his longsword remained sheathed, its intent was already chilling. He glared at Huiyuan and said through gritted teeth, "Since when does a man outside the monastic order get to meddle in Demon Suppression Bureau affairs?!"

Huiyuan, upon hearing this, let out a sinister chuckle, his eyes brimming with mockery.

"Oh? Trying to intimidate me with the Demon Suppression Bureau's name?"

"My Jeweled Temple has stood in Longyou for centuries. Even when your Bureau's former commander was here, he had to show some respect to the Buddha. What do you think you are?"

"Today, my senior brother is inside having a civil discussion with your lady superior—that's already a tremendous courtesy. If you know what's good for you, you'll tuck your tails between your legs and scurry back to Liangzhou Prefecture. Even if we did let a demon eat a few people, or even if I killed them myself, what can your Demon Suppression Bureau do to my Jeweled Temple?"

At these words, not only was Liu Ke trembling with rage, but Chen Tong and the others were also boiling with fury, all glaring daggers.

A mere martial sect dared to utter such arrogant nonsense before the Demon Suppression Bureau!

This was no longer provocation—it was outright humiliation!

"You're asking for death!" Chen Tong roared, reaching for his blade.

"Don't be rash!"

Bujie's bulky frame shifted, somehow moving faster despite starting later, and he grabbed Chen Tong's wrist firmly, shaking his head at the group.

"Don't cause Lady Jiang any trouble."

Chen Tong's movement froze, fury blazing in his eyes, but in the end, he slowly released his grip on the sword hilt and deflated.

What angered them wasn't Huiyuan belittling the Demon Suppression Bureau.

It was that what Huiyuan said was the truth.

The Jeweled Temple was not something they could afford to offend.

This matter would likely end just as he said—fizzling out.

Huiyuan watched the expressions of helpless rage on their faces, and the mockery in his smile deepened.

Liu Ke looked at Huiyuan's arrogant face, then down at his own black uniform with crimson patterns of the Demon Suppression Bureau, and suddenly found it unbearably glaring.

"Roaming the martial world, or joining the Demon Suppression Bureau... in the end, what's the real difference..."

Bujie sighed and leaned in close to his ear. "There is a difference."

"One's a house cat, the other's a stray."

Magistrate Qian listened with a pounding heart, his legs trembling so badly he could barely stand.

Damn it, this Jeweled Temple was tyrannical to this degree!

He'd better hurry to the temple and burn some extra incense sticks.

No—he'd set up a dedicated shrine in his backyard for the Jeweled Temple's buddhas and offer daily worship!

Just as everyone in the courtyard was lost in their own thoughts—

Suddenly, a shattering sound exploded across the yard!

CRACK!

The thick wooden door of the hall burst into splinters!

Amid the flying wood chips, a white-clad figure flew backward, spitting a crimson trail of blood through the air.

That figure, carried by a tremendous force, crashed into the courtyard's blue stone pavement with a thunderous boom, rolling several times before the terrifying momentum was finally spent.

A white-robed monk now lay sprawled on the ground, half his face swollen grotesquely, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth, with none of his former solemn, dignified bearing.

Liu Ke stood frozen. Chen Tong's hand slipped from his sword hilt.

Bujie's wine gourd hit the ground. Magistrate Qian's eyes rolled back, and he nearly fainted on the spot.

Everyone in the courtyard, including the once-arrogant Huiyuan, was now filled with shock, all turning in unison toward the broken doorway.

Through the drifting wood dust and smoke, Jiang Yuechu straightened her slightly rumpled sleeves, her expression indifferent, and slowly stepped out.